ID released of Washington Township firefighter killed in crash

News-Sentinel staff reports

Monday, November 12, 2012 - 5:27 pm

Authorities have identified a Washington Township volunteer firefighter who died in a crash Sunday night while responding to a grass fire.

Mark A. Haudenschild II, 25, of Fort Wayne, was pronounced dead at 11:17 p.m. after the tanker truck he was driving crashed near the intersection of Butler and Hillegas roads, according to Fort Wayne Police and the Allen County Coroner's Office.

According to a report from the Fort Wayne Police Department, the incident took place around 9:58 p.m.

Officer Raquel Foster, a spokeswoman for the Fort Wayne Police, confirmed that Haudenschild was the only person in a tanker truck responding to the report of a brush fire in the 4300 block of Butler Road.

The Washington Township Tanker Fire Truck was southbound on Hillegas when it appeared Haudenschild lost control when it attempted to make a westbound turn onto Butler Road, according to a news release.

Officers of the Fort Wayne Police Department and Firefighters of the Fort Wayne Fire Department responded to the crash. A caller had stated they located a firetruck just south of the intersection of Hillegas and Butler Roads that appeared to have rolled over.

Haudenschild was trapped as a result of the crash.

The firetruck struck three utility poles after it rolled over, with electric wires coming down as a result. Some of the wires were live, prompting the summoning of a crew from American Electric Power, which disconnected the power.

The road was closed while members of the Fort Wayne Police Department FACT team investigated the area. Drivers were asked to find an alternative route at that time.

According to news partner WANE-TV, power was shut off to the area surrounding the accident until 10:38 p.m.